Late Night Chameleon Cafe in Hackney - A New Retail Concept

You can imagine it being a film title: Late Night Chameleon Cafe. Its abbreviation, LN-CC, just adds to cool mystery that surrounds it. LN-CC actually opened up in late 2010, and two years later, it's grown to be a destination of choice among those in the know. LN-CC's own website states that it 'houses informative and enlightening collectibles' things like, rare vinyl or out of print or first edition books.

They also sell audio hardware and innovative products alongside 'underground pioneers of sound' This is not just about selling, but exploring interesting worlds and people, which is why this kind of retail concept is so attractive. They say, "Our platform is about a point of view. This point of view is always evolving but the place it is coming from will never change."

The shop in Dalston, (East London) still works by appointment only, and the interior, at the bottom of a nondescript office block, is "red dwarf sci-fi meets art exhibition." Perhaps not surprisingly since it was designed by set designer and art director Gary Card. There are three product rooms, a library, a record store and a club space for private events by invitation only. DJs play on a 'custom built vintage sound system.'

This is progressive retail at its best. London style, in a gritty part of town, LN-CC offers exclusivity, difficult to find Japanese and independent designer brands and a place that not only sells you clothes, but a whole lifestyle and way of thinking about style. The website itself has the kind of typeface which some might say is ugly and spare, but it's one of those acquired tastes that you should like, if you want to be cool.

Emma would love to be the kind of person that shopped exclusively at shops like these. Sadly she's not, but a mix of retail and lifestyle wrapped up in a cool, interesting exterior, makes this concept shop worthy of mention.